India Gears Up for Digital Census: Confidentiality and Innovation at Forefront

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, reiterated the importance of data confidentiality as the nation prepares for its 16th Census. At a press conference, he confirmed that under Section 15 of the Census Act, all individual data will remain confidential and are strictly for statistical purposes.

The massive exercise will initiate its first phase in April, with Delhi set for an April 16 to May 15 timeline. Importantly, this census introduces self-enumeration, allowing the public to submit their information digitally. The process aims to streamline data collection and ensure early dissemination of results by 2027.

Questions about caste will be addressed in the second phase. Narayan assured that digital security will be paramount, with data centers declared critical information infrastructure. Additionally, the census data is not linked to the National Population Register or electoral rolls revision, emphasizing confidentiality and accuracy in data collection.